Application of SIMS in semiconductor research

Summary Nowadays SIMS is a well-established analytical technique in semiconductor research. Materials research and process development are the main fields of application in silicon technology, whereas for III–V compound semiconductors much attention has been paid to assessment of multilayer structures grown by advanced growth methods. Recent applications of SIMS in these fields are the subject of the present paper. Emphasis will be placed upon optimizing the SIMS results with respect to accuracy and depth resolution.

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Anwendungen von SIMS in der Halbleiterforschung

     

Electronic transitions and magnetic circular dichroism of the naphthalene monogenegative ion

The optical absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of the mononegative ion of naphthalene in a solution of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran have been measured at room temperature over the 25000–41000 cm^?1 spectral region. Experimental values of the MCD parameter B/D are compared with theoretical data obtained by means of an LCAO SCF CI calculation according to Pariser, Parr and Pople. The agreement between theory and experiment is rather good.     

Phonon density of states of CdI2 deduced fro,the fine structure of the 3A2g → 1Eg electronic transition of CdI2:Ni2+

The absorption and MCD spectra of the ³A_2g → ¹E_g transition of CdI₂:Ni²⁺ at about 12,500 cm^?1 have been measured. The unusual vibronic fine structure is explained by the coupling of the phonons of the CdI₂ lattice to the electronic states of Ni²⁺. The dispersion curves for the acoustical and optical branches in the Brillouin Zone of CdI₂ are deduced.     

Estimation of the equilibrium modulus of rubber networks by nonlinear regression analysis

A nonlinear regression analysis is presented to estimate the equilibrium modulus of relaxing rubber networks from G'(ω) or G(t) data. Various semiempirical curve-fitting equations are tested with two-function minimization algorithms.     

Linear thermoviscoelasticity and characterization of slightly crystalline EPDM networks

Three EPDM network families with various degrees of chemical crosslinking and slightly crystalline below about 350 K have been characterized by thermoviscoelastic and equilibrium swelling measurements. Between 300 and 450 K the thermoviscoelasticity of these elastomers, whether cured or not, is complex. Important differences from previous results on noncrystalline EPDM networks are their dependence on waiting time and temperature history below 350 K, and an equilibrium modulus for the uncured elastomers. These effects increase with rising ethylene content of the EPDM and are related to the crystallinity in the networks. A previously proposed modified time-temperature (t-T) superposition scheme is also applicable to these data, and the resulting frequency shift functions a_T are of the usual WLF type. The vertical shift functions for the relaxational components b_T are different from those for the equilibrium moduli. Experimental data demonstrate that the absolute values of the relaxational components, i.e., G″ (ω) and H(τ), are not changed by small variations in crystallinity. In addition, larger variations in crystallinity do not affect their frequency dependence, only their absolute values. On the contrary, the equilibrium modulus, and therefore all characteristics containing this as a component, is extremely sensitive to small variations in crystallinity, and hence in temperature. The linear viscoelastic characteristics of these slightly crystalline networks and their deviations from thermoviscoelastically simple behavior are discussed as functions of the ethylene content, temperature, and degree of crosslinking of the elastomer. The data provide evidence for three contributing factors, namely chemical crosslinks, crystallinity, and a more disordered type of crystallinity termed microparacrystallinity.     

SPE–NMR metabolite sub-profiling of urine

NMR-based metabolite profiling of urine is a fast and reproducible method for detection of numerous metabolites with diverse chemical properties. However, signal overlap in the (1)H NMR profiles of human urine may hamper quantification and identification of metabolites. Therefore, a new method has been developed using automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with NMR metabolite profiling. SPE-NMR of urine resulted in three fractions with complementary and reproducible sub-profiles. The sub-profile from the wash fraction (100?% water) contained polar metabolites; that from the first eluted fraction (10?% methanol-90?% water) semi-polar metabolites; and that from the second eluted fraction (100?% methanol) aromatic metabolites. The method was validated by analysis of urine samples collected from a crossover human nutritional intervention trial in which healthy volunteers consumed capsules containing a polyphenol-rich mixture of red wine and grape juice extract (WGM), the same polyphenol mixture dissolved in a soy drink (WGM_Soy), or a placebo (PLA), over a period of five days. Consumption of WGM clearly increased urinary excretion of 4-hydroxyhippuric acid, hippuric acid, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, and 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid. However, there was no difference between the excreted amounts of these metabolites after consumption of WGM or WGM_Soy, indicating that the soy drink is a suitable carrier for WGM polyphenols. Interestingly, WGM_Soy induced a significant increase in excretion of cis-aconitate compared with WGM and PLA, suggesting a higher demand on the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In conclusion, SPE-NMR metabolite sub-profiling is a reliable and improved method for quantification and identification of metabolites in urine to discover dietary effects and markers of phytochemical exposure.